Refuse can holder



March 12, 1963 F. GRESS 3,080,978

REFUSE CAN HOLDER Filed July 21, 1961 FRANK GRESS INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,080,978 REFUSE CAN HOLDER Frank Gress, E. 1507 Nebraska, Spokane, Wash. Filed July 21, 1961, Ser. No. 125,777 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-71) My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in refuse cans and similar receptacle holders.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a refuse can or receptacle holder of the character described, which is constructed and arranged to prevent the cans or receptacles from becoming upset, and .to further provide means for releasably securing the lids for their cans in the closed positions, thus precluding opening of the cans by scavengers.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a refuse can holder of the character described wherein the lids are biased to an open position and releasably secured in the closed position by a manually ac-tuable latch.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the refuse cans holder to support the cans with their lids in such a manner that they will not be accidentally separated one from the other, and can be opened for use by pressure upon a latch mechanism.

A still tfilrther object of the present invention lies in the provision of means for automatically securing the lids in the closed position and permitting their move ment to an open position at will.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view; and 7 FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one can and lid in broken lines.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 indicates a base which may conveniently be formed with lumber, using for example, 1" x 6"- members for the back walls 11-11 and the side walls 12-12. While the supporting grid work 13 may be made of l x 4"s '14 which are secured perpendicular to the back walls 1 111 and to a front wall 15 which may also be comprised of a 1" x 4".

It will thus be seen that the base 10 is adapted to re ceive two refuse cans or other receptacles "1616 in side by side relationship. The cans 16 are confined against lateral and rearward movements by the upwardly projecting portion of the back walls and side walls 11 and 12., The cans 16 may be slid forwardly over the front Wall 15 for easy removal and replacement. Secured to the base in any convenient manner, I provide a standard 17 which extends substantially above the height of the cans 16. At a location substantially equal to the height of the cans 16, I provide a forwardly extending horizontal arm 18 which is rigidly secured to and supported by the standard 17.

Spaced only slightly below the open upper ends of the cans 16 and rigidly secured to the standard 17 I provide a cross arm 19 which at its ends carries hinges 20-40 secured to the flanges 21-21 of the lids 22-22. This provides hinging means for vertical tilting movements of the lids 22 (from the full line position of FIG- URE 2, wherein the lids are in the can closing position, to the broken line position 22 wherein the lids are at their upward tilting extremity.

3,080,978 Patented Mar. 12, 1963 A cross head 23 is rigidly secured at each end to one lid 22. In the present disclosure, rivets 24 extend through the end portion of the cross head 23 and are secured to the conventional handles 25 of the lids 22. However, other means and locations of securing the cross head 23 may be employed if so desired.

A latch plate 26 is secured to the cross head 23 midway its length and cooperates with a latching mechanism 27 rigidly secured on the end of the arm 18. The latching mechanism 27 is provided with atouch nob 28 so that when pressure is applied thereto it releases the conven :tional latch from the latch plate 26 and thus releases the cross head 23.

Resilient means 29 here shown in the form of a spring, is secured between the upper end of the standard I17 and the cross head 23 to bias or urge the cross head 23 to the upper positions shown in broken line of FIGURE 2. It will be understood that other means may be employed to bias the cross head 23 upwardly. 'For example, a pulley supported rope having a weight or other wellknown means.

Obviously, with the lids in a closed position wherein their flanges 21 extend in circumferential relationship to the open upper ends of the cans 16 the cans may not be moved. Animal scavengers do not have the capabilities necessary for releasing the latch 27 and therefore, can not turn over and remove the contents of the refuse cans 16, thus maintaining sanitary conditions around the place of refuse disposal and yet making a convenient device by means of which persons may dispose of refuse in the cam 16.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A holder for refuse cans and lids comprising in combination a perforate'base having a vertical standard attached thereto, an arm rigidly connected to said standard and extending horizontally over said base, a pair of refuse cans carried upon said base and having their open upper ends disposed substantially at the level of said arm with the arm extending between, removable lids on said cans, a horizontal cross arm rigidly fixed to said standard at the level of said lids, hinges hingedly fixing said lids to said cross arm for vertical tilting movements into and out of closing relationship with said cans, a cross head rigidly fixed at its ends to said lids, resilient means biasing said cross head and lids to their extreme upward tilting limits and a manually releasable catch interconnecting said cross head and said first-named arm with the lids in their lowered can covering positions.

2. A holder for refuse cans and lids comprising in combination a fixed vertical standard, an arm rigidly connected to said standard and extending horizontally therefrom, a pair Olf refuse cans having their open upper ends disposed one at each side of said arm, and substantially at the same level thereof, removable lids on said cans, means hinging said lids for independent vertical movements into and out of closing relationship with said cans, a cross head rigidly fixed at its ends to said lids, and extending across said arm, resilient rneans'biasing said cross head to its extreme upwardly tilting limit and a manually releasable catch releasably interconnectintg said cross head and said first-named arm with the lids in the lowered can covering positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,93 8,569 Cretors Dec. 12, 1933 2,505,126 Logan Apr. 25, 1950 2,513,630 Elliott July 4, 1950 2,563,317 Dix Aug. 7, 1951 

1. A HOLDER FOR REFUSE CANS AND LIDS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A PERFORATE BASE HAVING A VERTICAL STANDARD ATTACHED THERETO, AN ARM RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID STANDARD AND EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY OVER SAID BASE, A PAIR OF REFUSE CANS CARRIED UPON SAID BASE AND HAVING THEIR OPEN UPPER ENDS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE LEVEL OF SAID ARM WITH THE ARM EXTENDING BETWEEN, REMOVABLE LIDS ON SAID CANS, A HORIZONTAL CROSS ARM RIGIDLY FIXED TO SAID STANDARD AT THE LEVEL OF SAID LIDS, HINGES HINGEDLY FIXING SAID LIDS TO SAID CROSS ARM FOR VERTICAL TILTING MOVEMENTS INTO AND OUT OF CLOSING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID CANS, A CROSS HEAD RIGIDLY FIXED AT ITS ENDS TO SAID LIDS, RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID CROSS HEAD AND LIDS TO THEIR EXTREME UPWARD TILTING SAID CROSS HEAD AND SAID FIRST-NAMED ARM WITH THE LIDS IN THEIR LOWERED CAN COVERING POSITIONS. 